Excavator.



PATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

H. W. BLAISDELL.

EXGAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 854,626. PATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

H. W. BLAISDELL. BXCAVATOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/Zesaes a. I Wye/75f WWW PATENTED MAY 21, 1907. H. W. BLAISDBLL.EXGAVATOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1906.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0. 854,626. PATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

H. W. BLAISDELL.

EXGAVATOR. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 22. 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4,

H. W. BLAISDELL. EXOAVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22. 1905.

PATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

6 SEEETSSHEET 6.

AWE/06y PATENTBD MAY 21, 1907.

H. W. BLAISDELL.

EXGAVATOR. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 22. 1905.

6 SHEETBSHEET 6.

W/Zesse;

@QVZQ TTFTTED %TATE% HIRAM lV. BLAISDELL, ()F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

EXCAVATOR.

Specification of Letters Eatent Patented May 21, 1907.

.-"muiication filed August 22, 1905. Serial No. 275,303.

To all 1072/0111 it may concern.-

Be it known that l, I'IIRA)! BLAISDELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at- Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles' and State of'(falifornia, have invented certain new and useful *lmprovcments inExcavators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear.and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to systems of handling material, and particularlyto apparatus for removing material from receptacles or vats; and one ofthe objects of the invention is to provide suchan apparatus which willbe simple and cheap in construction, while being positive and effectivein operation.

it is also an object of this invention to provide an elevator adapted totravel back and forth in a horizontal plane, and to be raised or loweredin a vertical plane and to excavate the material upon the downward orupon the upward movement of the excavating devices, as may be desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automaticallyellecting the reversal of the horizontal travel of the elevator atpredetermined places.

Furthermore an object of this invention is to start the elevator on itsreturn travel, away from the side of the receptacle, before thestructure supporting said elevator begins to move, in order to preventthe elevator from being forced against the side of a circular orpolygonal receptacle.

With these, and other, objects in view, the invention consistsessentially in the construction, combination and arrangement of partssubstantially as more fully described in the following specification,and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisapplication, in which Figure l is a front clevational view of theinvention and a receptacle, partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a top planview of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sideelevational view, partly in section, showing the invention; Fig. 4 is anenlarged, fragmental, detail view, illustrating the means of o pera-tingthe sw tch; Fig. 5 is a sectional viewtaken on line 55 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6is an enlarged fragmental, detail view of a portion of the elevator andelectrical connections Fig. 7 is a detail view of the traveling contactsor shoes; Fig. 8 is a detail view of the lower portion of the elevator,showing the attachment in position thereon and illustrating the mannerof removing the material upon the downward movement of the excavatingdevices. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view, showing the means for slowlyprogressing the traveling structure or bridge forward or backward; Figs.10 and 11 are detail. elevational and sectional views respectively ofthe traveling collar and the yoke; Fig. 12 is a detail view of a portionof the construction shown in Fig. 0 at the right. Fig. 13 is a detailview, partly in section, illustrating a means for raising and loweringthe elevator; Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the same; and Fig. 15 is adiagrammatic view, illustrating the electrical connections for theseveral parts.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to the constructionillustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 thereof, the reference character 1designates upright supports, whereon are secured timbers 2, supportingtrack rails 3, on which travel the supporting wheels 4, of a travelingstructure or bridge 5, constructed to travel above one or more circularor polygonal vats 6, arranged in one or more rows, and which may beprovided with a serrated rim or flange 7, Figs. 1, 2 and 5 of thedrawings.

Arranged at one side of the timbers 2, and parallel thereto, isa mainconveyer 8, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Atthe'end of traveling structure 5, remote from the main conveyor, a drumor wheel 5) is mounted, and at the opposite end is' a similar device,over which passes an auxiliary conveyer 10. The shaft of the drivingpulley 9 is provided with a gear wheel 11, meshing with a pinion 12,011the shaft 13, carrying pulleys 14, and 15, pulley 1% being belted to apulley 16, on the drive shaft of a movable motor 17, or other drivingmeans, Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

The pulley 15 is bolted to a pulley 18, Figs. 1 and 3, the shaft whereofalso carries a pulley 1t), belted to a pulley 20, by a quartertwistedbelt 21; and from pulley 20, by means of straight belt 22 and cross belt23, motion in either direction may be communicated to fast pulley 24 onpropelling shaft While the apparatus herein described is performing theoperation of excavating, it is preferable to progress the travelingstructure slowly and automatically, in order that the instruinentalitiescarried by the traveling structure may perform their proper functions inthe most expedient manner. One form of such separate mechanism forprogressing the traveling structure automatically during the operationof the parts there- 011 is as follows:

On the propelling shaft are secured ratchet wheels 26, Figs. 2, 3, 9and'12 and on said shaft are movably mounted levers 27, carrying pawls2S, constructed to engage said gear wheels 26 in the usual manner; andslotted links 29 are attached to one end of said levers 27 and areconnected, by adjust ing bolts 30, with a lever 31 provided withadjusting slots 32, by means of which the point of connection of thelinks 29 may be varied, thereby regulating the speed at which thesupporting wheels 4 are rotated.

in order to provide for the commencement of the travel of the elevator(hereinafter describedi away from the edge7 of the vat, before thetraveling structure or bridge is progressed, the ends of the links 29are slot ted, as at 33, Fig. 9, to permitthe lever 31 to be movedslightly before propelling the supporting wheels 4, in order to give theelevator a lead or clearance from the receptacle.

The lever 31 is provided with a yoke 34, having slots 35, to receivetrunnions 36, on a traveling block 37, carrying an internal engaging pin38, Figs. 10 and 1], constructed to travel in a thread 39 on an enlargedportion 40 of a drum shaft 41, Figs. 2 and 9; and on said drum shaft aremounted collars 42, against which bear springs 43, pressing against antifriction thrust bearings 44, which are forced against and travel withthe portion 40, when the block 37 is out of engagement with them. Bythis means, the traveling block 37 may be brought'against the rotatablemembers of the thrust bearings, which may then readily turn therewith,without winding the springs 42, said members turning on theanti-friction device between the same and the stationary members.

Mounted on the drum shaft 41 is a worm wheel 46, Figs. 1 and 2, engagedby a worm 47, on a worm shaft 48, carrying a beveled gear 49, meshingwith a similar gear 50, on a shaft 51, carrying a channeled frictionwheel 52, alternately drivenin either direction by friction pulley 53,on the drive shaft of the motor 17.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the wheel 52 is provided with anannular channel or groove 54, constructed to receive the friction pulley53, Figs. 2 and 3, of paper or other suitable material, on the driveshaft of the motor 17 and this motor is mounted on a reciprocating baseor support, and is actuated in either direction by toggles 55, Fig. 2,desirably operated by the cores of the solenoids 56 and 57, respectivelyenergized by an electrical current, passing through the connections 58and 59, said solenoids being electrically connected by a wire 60, Fig.15, as hereinafter more fully explained.

A drum 6], Figs. 1 and 2, is mounted on the drum shaft 41, and carries acable 62, which, passing over sheaves 63, at each end of the frame ofthe bridge 5, is connected at its ends with a traveling elevator frame64, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

A general elevator frame 64, of any preferred construction, is mountedon supporting wheels 65, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, adapted to travel on upperand lower tracks 66, secured upon the traveling bridge and deflectedupwardly at their extremities to prevent the accidental disengagement ofthe wheels from said track; and a guard wheel 67, Fig. 3 is constructedto run in a channel 68, to prevent the accidental elevation of the frame64, during the operation of the elevator, whereby said frame would beraised off the tracks. above referred to.

In .order to elevate the entire mechanism from the vat or receptacle,when it is desired "to transport the traveling structure from one placeof operation to another, a lug or projection 69, Fig. 3, is formed on orconnected with the lower portion of the channel iron 70, and isconstructed to raise the contact frame '71 when the elevator proper israised by the mechanism hereinbefore described and shown. By means ofthis construction, the elevator frame is caused to travel in a horizontal plane longitudinally of the traveling structure, in eitherdirection, by reason of the drum 6] being, by the mechanism described,driven first in one direction and then in another.

, The elevator frame 64 is provided with a contact frame 71, contactingwith the serrated edge 7, Fig. 5, of the receptacle 6, when the elevatorsufficiently approaches such edge, whereby the contact frame 71 is movedlaterally, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby operat ing a three-way switch 72,Fig. 4, and energizing the solenoid 56 or 57 as the case may be, (Fig.2), to operate the toggles connected therewith, to force the motor 17 inthe opposite direction; so that the friction pulley 53, on the motorshaft, will be brought into frictional engagement with the opposite faceof the channel 54, in the channeled wheel 52, thus effecting thereversal of the mechanism hereinbefore described, and resulting in thetravel of the elevator to the opposite side of the receptacle, where alike contact will erating shaft 78, having acrank or handle 79, Figs.13-and 14 of the drawings, whereby the elevator can be raised or loweredin relation to the elevator frame, to bring the same above the level ofthe receptacles to permit the transportation of the traveling structuretbereover, and to lower the elevator to the plane of the material to beoperated upon.

Sprocket wheels or other devices 80 are mounted on shafts journaled inhearings in the upper and lower ends of the channels Tl). Figs. 1, 2 andand carry an endless chain or other device .\1. provided with excavatingbuckets 82, and the shaft of one set of said sprocket wheels is providedwith a beveled gear 83, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, constructed to mesh with abeveled pinion S4, feathered on a sliding shaft 85, carrying a bevelgear 86, meshing with a pinion $7, on the drive shaft 88. of a motor 89,or other source of power, Figs. 1 and 2, whereby the excavating devices82 are actuated.

The material raised by the excavating buckets is discharged into a chute91), carried by the elevator frame or carriage. and is guided by aconverging trough or long hopper 91, Figs. 2 and .3 of the drawing, onto the cross or auxiliary conveyer 10, and isdischarged thereby upon themain convever, which transports the material to the place of de osit.

fVhen it is'desired to operate the excavating devices, in the reverse ordownward direction, an attachment or hood 92, Fig. 8 may be connectedwith the lower portion of the channels70, the bridge 5 is progressed ina reverse direction until the downgoing lead of the elevator is broughtadjacent-to the ma.- terial as shown in Fig. 8, when the material willbe excavated by the buckets 82, on the downward movement thereof, andwill he re tained therein until said devices shall have reached a.horizontal plane, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8 of thedrawings.

Referring to the diagrammatic view in Fig. 15, and to Figs. 6 and 7, itwill be seen that the main electric circuit is completed from thetrolley wires 93 and 94. the trolley arms 95 and 96, and theconnections'QT and 98 to the motor 17, substantially as indicated.

A portion of the current is taken from th 1 connection 97 through thewire 99, to tke feeder rail 101), and the wire 98 is connected hroughwire 101, to another feeder rail 102, and traveling contact devices orshoes 103 and 104 take the current from the feeder rails 100 and 102 tothe motor St), by means of theconnections 105 and 106: and the con tactpoints or posts for the switch 72 are respectively connected wit;contact s-oes 10S and 10), adapted to travel on t :e feeder rails 51-11) and 111, t e former being connected, by the wire 58, with the lefthand solenoid and the latter being connected, by a similar wire 59 withthe right hand solenoid and said solenoids being connected together bymeans i of a wire 60, united by wire 112, with the feeder rail 100. Bymeans of this arrangement, the switch, by he contact frame on theelevator impinging against the walls of the receptacle, is thrown oneway or the other, thereby closing the circuit througi i one or the otherof the solenoids 56 and 57, to operate the toggles connected therewith,to force the motor away from the solenoid energized, and bring thefriction pulley 53 in contact with either the rim or center of thechannel friction wheel 52, as will be readily understood by those versedin the art.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description when taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, and the following explanation.

, he motor 89 being started, motion is communicated by means of a shaft88, the bevel pinion 87, bevel gear 86, sliding shaft 85, pinion 84 andbevel gear 83, to the buckets or cutting devices 82 of the elevator.

The straight and twisted belts being on their respective loose pulleyson either side of pulley 24, and the motor 17 being started, thefriction pulley is forced against the periphery of the channeledfrictional wheel 52, thereby rotating the same in the same direction,and likewise turning the shaft 51, carrying the gear 50, meshing withthe gear 49 on the worm shaft 1-8, and causing the worm 47 therein torevolve the worm wheel 46 and turn the drum shaft 41 in the oppositedirec tion, thereby winding the cable 62 on the drum 6i, and moving theelevator or frame to the left, untilthe contact frame therein engagesthe serrated edge 7 of the receptacle, and is forced laterally by suchengagement. This contact throws the switch 72 in the opposite direction,and deenergizes the previously energized solenoid, and simultaneouslyenergizes the previously deenergized solenoid, which latter operates thetoggle connected therewith and forces the motor frame away from the lastenergized solenoid, thereby bringing the friction pulley 53 intoengagement with the center of the channeled friction wheel 52, andturning said wheel in an opposite direction to that first described,with the result of changing the direction of the s iaft 51, worm shaft48 and drum shaft 41, thereby reversing the travel of the elevator.\Vhile the elevator being operated thus, the rotation of the drum shaft41 turns the threaded portion 40 on said shaft and progresses thetraveling block 37, thereby drawing one of the links 29 forward, throughthe mediation of the lever 31, and forcing the dog or pawl 28 on thelevers 27, connected with such rod to engage the ratchet wheel 26, faston the propelling shaft 25, attached to the supporting wheels-L of thetraveling structure or bridge and progressing the bridge.

By means of this construction the traveling structure or bridge isautomatically progressed slowly in a forward direction until the pin 38in the traveling block shall have reached the end of the thread'on theportion 40, when said block will contact with the thrust bearing 44 andcompress the spring 36.

'hen the link 29 and lever '27 before mentioned, are moving in a forwarddirection the other link and lever are moving in a rearward direction,the pawl carried by the latter lever running or slipping over the cogsor teeth in the ratchet wheel 26, until the rotation of the drum shaft4] is reversed, by the means justhereinbefore explained, whereupon thecollar 37 will travel in reverse direction by the engagement of the pin35 thereof with the threads 39 on the portion 40, which is now travelingin a reverse direction. This re verse travel of the block will returnthe first mentioned lever in a rearward direction, and progress thelatter lever in a forward direction, thereby producing an intermittentrevolution of the supporting wheels 4, irrespective of the direction inwhich the collar 3!) is traveling.

\Vhen it is desired to move the traveling structure or bridge from onereceptacle to another, the dogs or pawls 2H are thrown out of engagementwith the ratchet wheels 26, and the solenoids are det' nergized, andcontact between the friction pulley 53 and the friction wheel 52, isreleased and the motor l7 is started, thereby imparting motion to thepulley 14, the shaft 13, the pulley 15 on said shaft, the band wheel l8,the pulley 1!), through the twist belt 22 to the pulley 2t), on

theshaft of the pulley 20, through thestraight or twisted belt to thefast pulley 24 on the propelling shaft 25.

Claims- A traveling structure provided with an actuating shaft, anelevator having a cable connccted with said shaft, a worm wheel on saidshaft, a worm shaft carrying a worm meshing with said worm wheel, afriction wheel driving said worm shaft, and a motor carrying a frictionpulley constructed to drive said wheel in either direction, wherebysaidelevator is caused to travel back and forth.

2. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism, an elevatorsupported on said structure, automatic means for progressing saidelevator longitudinally of said structure and devices for effecting thereversal of' said elevator progression.

3. Atraveling structure. provided with propelling mechanism, an elevatorsupported on said traveling structure, automatic means for reciprocatingthe elevator in a transverse direction and mechanism for effecting thereverse movement of the elevator in advance of the movement of thetraveling structure.

4. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism, an elevatorsupported on said traveling structure, automatic means for moving saidelevator forward and back in I a transverse direction and automaticmeans to start said traveling structure after the movement of saidreciprocating elevator.

5. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism, an elevatorsupported on said traveling structure, a drum shaft having connectiontherewith and with said elevator and means for operating said drum shaftto start said elevator in a reverse direction in advance of saidpropelling mechanism.

6. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism,receptacles, an elevator, means for effecting the transverse travel ofsaid elevator and devices for autotnatically reversing said travel bycontact with said receptacle.

7. Atravelingstructure provided with propelling mechanism, circularreceptacles, a reciprocating elevator, means for effecting thereciprocation thereof and instrumentalities to start said means inadvance of-said propelling mechanism to effect the clearance of saidelevator from said receptacle.

3. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism,receptacles, an elevator, means for reciprocating said elevator andcontact devices connected with said elevator constructed to contact withsaid receptacles and effect the reversal of the transverse travel ofsaid elevator.

t). A traveling structure provided with an elevator, a motor, actuatingmechanism driven by said motor to effect the transverse travel of saidelevator, contact devices and connection between said motor and devices,whereby the reversal of said transverse travel of said elevator isaccomplished.

10. A traveling structure provided with an elevator, means for effectingthe transverse travel of said elevator, a motor to drive said means,receptacles, contact devices connected with said elevator constructed tocontact with said receptacles to effect the reversal of the transversetravel of said elevator.

11. A supporting traveling structure provided with an elevator, amovable motor, actuating mechanism driven by said motor to effect thetransverse travel of the elevator, an electric switch, electricalconnections between said motor and, switch, and means for automaticallythrowing said switch at the limit of the transverse travel of saidelevator in either direction.

12. A supporting traveling structure provided with a motor, actuatingmechanism driven by said motor to effect the transverse travel of theelevator, an electric switch, electrical connections between said motor.and switch and contact devices carried. by said elevator to operate saidswitch at the limit of the travelof said elevator in either direction.

13. ,A traveling structure provided with an means foreffecting theprogression thereof,

, elevator, automatic contact devices for effect an elevator supportedon said structure, mechanism for e ecting the travel of said elevator ina horizontal plane, and means for automatically reversing the directionof said elevator at the limit of its travel.

'16. Atraveling structure provided with an elevator, automatic contactmeans for effecting the travel of said elevator in a horizontal plane,devices for raising and lowering said elevator in a vertical plane andmechanism for operating said elevator to raise material.

17-. A traveling structure provided with an elevator, automatic contactmeans for, effecting the transverse travel ofthe elevator back andforth, and adjustable mechanism for starting and stopping theprogression of said structure after said elevator has begun its reversetravel.

18. A traveling structure provided with an elevator, means for raisingand lowering said ing the transverse travel of the elevator forward andback, means for starting and stopping the progression of said travelingstructure relative 'to the transverse travel of said elevator. k

19. Receptacles, a traveling structure suporting an elevator, means forraising and owering said elevator, automatic contact devices foreffecting the transverse travel of theelevator forward and back, aconveyer on the traveling structure for receiving material from theelevator, means for starting and stopping the rogression of saidtraveling structure relative to the transverse travel of said elevator.

' '20. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism, anelevator, automatic contact means for reciprocating the elevator in atransverse direction,mechanism for effecting the reverse movement of theelevator in advance of the movement of the traveling structure, aconveyer on the traveling structure receiving the material from theelevator. 7 s

21. Receptacles, a traveling structure provided with propellingmechanism, an elevator supported on'said traveling structure, automaticcontact means for moving said'elevator forward and back in a transversedirection, a conveyer on said traveling structure recelving materialfrom said elevator, and means to start said travelmg structure after thecommencement of the forward or backward motion of said elevator.

tor, and means for effecting the reverse movement of the elevatorinadvance of the movement of the traveling'structure.

23. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism,receptacles, an eleva tor supported by said structure, means foreffecting the transverse travel of said elevator, devices forautomatically reversing said travel and. a conveyer for receivingmaterial from said elevator.

24. Receptacles, a traveling structure provided with pro ellingmechanism, an elevator-supported y said structure, means for raising andtraversing said elevator, automatic means for effecting the transversetravel of said elevator and devices for reversing said travel.

25. Receptacles, a traveling structure provided with pro ellingmechanism, an elevator supported y said structure, means for raising andlowering said elevator, automatic means for effecting the transverse,travel of said elevator, devices for reversing said travel an elevatortraveling longitu inally thereof,

automatic devices for effecting the reversalof said travel and means forraising said devices.

27. A traveling structure provided with propelling mechanism, anelevator supported by said structure, means for effecting the transversetravel of said elevator, devices for .automatically reversing saidtravel, a conveyer on said traveling structure for receiving materialfrom said elevator and a conveyer on fixed supports for receivingmaterial from said conveyor on said traveling structure;

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of .two subscribing witnesses at Los Angeles, in

the county'of Los Angeles, State of California, this 15th day of August,A. D. 1905. HIRAM W. BLAISDELL.

Witnesses ARCHIBALD A. TALMAGE, WALLAOE D. THuRsToN.

